Dental Associate Agreement and Employment Contract: Is it In line With What I Should Expect, and Is it Reasonable?

This time of year is prime time for employment changes across the dental industry.  May through August is always the busy time.  Dentists are completing residency programs, dental students are graduating, and they are all going to be reviewing employment agreements now or very soon.

Here are a few things to consider:

1)      What is the commitment?  1 year; 3 years; can you give reasonable notice if you are unhappy or dissatisfied in the practice

a.       Most are 1 year

b.      If you receive a sign-on bonus or relocation incentive expect to commit to 2+ years.  Typically, if you leave before your commitment you will need to pay back any bonus money you receive

c.       Notice periods across the nation have grown beyond the normal 2 week courtesy.  Many agreements now require 30, 60, or 90 day of resignation notice

2)      Want to associate in your home town and eventually own a practice in your home town?  Be cautious of non-competes and restrictive covenants that would cause significant headaches in the future.  Especially if your hometown is a small town. 

·         Resource:  You Can’t Compete With Me – The Legality of Non-Compete Agreements

3)      Are you an Employee (W-2) or an Independent Contractor (1099)?  Associate positions throughout the dental industry vary greatly.  W-2 employment is most likely what you truly are. That means the employer takes your tax withholding and takes responsibility of the daily operations of the practice.  1099 contractors are simply paid for services rendered.  If this is your status, you are required to fulfill the entire tax obligation of your income. 

·         Resource: IRS website: Employee versus Independent Contractor

4)      Production versus collections-based compensation:  You need to understand which way you are getting paid, when it is calculated, and what is included and not included

a.       Is it calculated daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, and quarterly? Many dentist don’t know when I ask them

b.      Are x-rays or hygiene exams included? Many times there are not

c.       Lab Expenses:  are you responsible for all, some, or none of the lab expense?

5)      Base compensation questions:

a.       Is it permanent or does it sunset after x number of months?

b.      Is it a draw on future commission or is it a salary?

·         Resources:  Dentist Contract Negotiations - Compensation Considerations

6)      Be Realistic!  Associate offerings on the East Coast are vastly different than those on the West Coast.  Make sure to understand the compensation trends and models that are common in your market.  Don’t compare offers to your friends, especially if you’re only talking % versus %.  That completely depends on the production potential based on a combination of what the practice can provide and the abilities of the associate dentist.

·         Resource: What Can An Associate Dentist Earn in Different Parts of the U.S.

Other articles to explore:

·         Associate Agreements

·         Dentists – What to Know Before You Accept an Associate Position

 Posted by Carl Guthrie, Senior Dentist Recruitment Consultant with ETS Dental. To find out more, call Carl at (540) 491-9104 or email at cguthrie@etsdental.com.

The Recruiter's View: Candidates Continue to Drive the Growing Job Market and Retention is Equally Important as Recruitment

Over the past few years, recruiters in the executive and managerial space have been observing a shift from an employer-driven market to a largely candidate-driven market. As this trend continues, new data indicates that improved confidence in the labor market and the availability of more job opportunities are creating an environment where top performers are more willing to change companies to fill newly created roles and vacancies from resignations. While this may be encouraging to prospective employers, current employers will need to place equal emphasis on employee retention strategies as they do on their recruitment efforts. Recruiters who responded to the most recent MRINetwork Recruiter Sentiment Study provide advice to employers who seek to remain attractive to employees and potential new hires.

"The competition for leadership talent is brutal right now. There is tremendous pressure to attract new talent and hold on to those already employed," said a recruiter responding to the study.  According to the report, in the first half of 2014, 81 percent of recruiters described the talent market as candidate-driven, up 25 percentage points from the first half of 2012.

The executive and managerial market continues to be candidate-driven, because of growing talent shortages due to skill gaps. Companies in most industries and geographic regions are now in growth mode, leaving top performers at a strong advantage, with multiple job offers to consider and the ability to reject less desirable work agreements. According to the study, 31 percent of recruiters say the top reason that great candidates continue to refuse job offers is because they are accepting offers with other companies. Disappointing compensation is on the rise, with 26 percent of recruiters listing this as the second most common reason that job offers are turned down.

MRINetwork recruiters provide the following insight about rejected job offers:

• More than ever, highly-skilled, top-performing candidates are in demand.
• Candidates have more options than they have had in years. Yet clients still want to give low-ball offers.
• Candidates are often turned off when companies do not keep the process moving, making the closing process all the more difficult if it gets to the offer stage.
• Counteroffers are still a common reason for offers being turned down, in which most candidates receive substantially more money and a promotion from their current employer.

With more top performers on the move, the candidate-driven market points to several things:

• Leveraging employer branding is not just about selling the company and the job opportunity, it is about the overall impression left by the entire recruitment process. "If a company appears to be disjointed in its branding, saying one thing but doing another, candidates will be turned off," says an MRINetwork recruiter.
• A streamlined hiring process is critical to avoid losing top candidates. One recruiter notes, "Time is the enemy when recruiting exceptional talent, because ... the longer the process goes on, the less likely the candidate will be around to take the offer."
• Salary and benefit packages need to be aggressive, not simply market-competitive, to entice "A" players who have several job options at their disposal.

While the study results demonstrate that hiring trends are highly favorable towards top performers in the executive and managerial space, recruitment and retention will continue to be ongoing challenges for overall hiring as the economy recovers and the job market expands.

Dental School Graduates - How to Find a Job Coming Out of Dental School

Congratulations! Now it is time to start putting all that education to use, but finding a job is a lot different than applying to programs. Do you know how to get started?

What To Have

A Plan.
Do you know where you want to be in five years? Do you want your first job to put you on the path to partnership or ownership? Are you more concerned with gaining experience than paying down student loans? You need to know where you want to go before you can decide how to get there. Obviously location is important, but don't waste the crucial first years of your career in order to live in the heart of the city. 

The best jobs are often outside the primary markets where there is less competition for patients. Here is great blog outlining the best areas in which to work: Where are the Jobs?’. 

If you are considering a cross-country move, you may want to consider the income potential offered in different regions. This blog article breaks dentist income down by area: What Can an Associate Dentist Earn. 

If you absolutely have to live and work in a saturated market, here are some strategies to help you land a job: Saturated or Difficult Markets.

Be sure to set realistic income expectations. There are several good sources covering realistic dentist earnings. Here is our overview: How Much do Dentists Make?

The Levin Group publishes an annual survey in Dental Economics. The 2013 version can be downloaded here: Levin Group Survey.


A CV and Cover Letter.
Most applicants do not get an interview. Your CV and Cover Letter may be your only platform to distinguish yourself from the competition. It is hard to stand out from the crowd without experience but the way you highlight your strengths can set you apart. Did you take any electives or win any awards to recognition? Did you graduate in the top quarter of your class, attend CE outside of school, volunteer in a community clinical or on a dental mission trip? Be sure to highlight those experiences.

Here is an example of a well-written cover letter: Cover Letter Sample.

And here are instructions on writing your CV/resume: Resume for Dentists.

The Right Clothes
It is better to overdress than underdress. Your future boss will want to know that you take your career seriously. Does your interview outfit make you look like a doctor? This is not the time to go for personality. That can come through later. If your clothes give the wrong first impression, it will take a major effort to regain credibility

What To Do

Finding Openings.
Networking has always been the most effective method for finding open positions, but it is not always practical to meet with every dentist in the area and attend every dental meeting. The internet can be a great tool for finding position. Your dental school and local association may have classifieds, but you will likely find that the listings are limited. Here are several comprehensive sources for dentist jobs:

·         ETS Dental Job Listings

·         Indeed.com Job Listing Aggregator

·         DentalTown Classifieds

Interviewing.

The Telephone Interview

• Return your phone messages and emails promptly. It speaks to your motivation, interest, and courtesy. Don't let returning phone calls or emails become an issue or an obstacle to getting an interview. Even if you don't think you will be interested in an opportunity, return the call. On more than one occasion we have seen a candidate get a call from Practice B when he was already talking with Practice A. The candidate puts off returning the call to Practice B. Two or three weeks later, the opportunity with Practice A does not work out and now Practice B will not consider the candidate because no calls have been returned.
• Your main goal in a telephone interview is to get a face-to-face interview.
• Ask for the interview. Take the initiative to set a time. Say something like, "From what you have told me, I would be very interested in meeting with you and coming to see your practice. When would be good for you?"
• Smile- even on the phone. You really can tell when someone is smiling.

·         Here is some additional reading on phone interviews: Tips for Phone Interviews.

The In-Person Interview:
Don't go in blindly. Be sure to prepare in advance. Look over this article the night before: Preparing for the Interview.

• Treat the staff with courtesy and respect. A practice owner often feels like his or her staff is like a family and will listen to their opinions, especially if they are negative. On more than one occasion, we have seen excellent candidates not offered an opportunity because they treated a staff member poorly.
• Smile and show some enthusiasm. More candidates are hired because of their personalities and positive attitudes than because specific clinical skills. One high-end cosmetic practice told us they had interviewed six different dentists. They hired the candidate who smiled and appeared to truly enjoy being a dentist, passing on more experienced candidates with less personality and enthusiasm.
• Show sincere interest in the hiring dentist's situation. Understand that the dentist needs to solve a problem. Maybe the practice just lost a key associate or partner. Maybe the practice is growing and cannot keep up with patient demand. Maybe the dentist needs someone to take over the practice when he or she retires. You need to get a clear understanding of the dentist's true motivation for adding an associate. Once you truly understand the needs of the hiring dentist, you can mutually determine if you are the solution.
• Send a thank you note after the meeting. Here is a great example of a post-interview thank you: Thank You Note.

Still nervous? Here is a full blog post on interviewing: Interview Tips.

Reviewing Contracts.
A good overview of contracts may be found here (the most relevant information is on the last page of the article): Compensation Considerations.

Do you have all the information you will need in order to make an informed decision? What to Know Before You Accept an Associate Position 

Not satisfied with the offer? Don't be afraid to ask for more. Here are some tips on Negotiating Your Offer.


Finding a job can be an intimidating process. I hope these resources will help make the process easier. Please feel free to call us should you have any questions. We are always happy to help. For more updates, tips, and helpful information, follow us on our Facebook fan page, Twitter, LinkedIn or on our blog.

Posted by Morgan Pace, Vice President and Senior Dental Recrutier with ETS Dental. To find out more, call Morgan at (540) 491-9102 or email at mpace@etsdental.com.

Four Signs it’s Time for a New Job

With spring in the air and a long winter finally behind us, many find this time of year to be a season of fresh beginnings, new adventures, and personal growth. For some, however, the daily grind of traffic jams, long lines, and eight hours in a less-than-fulfilling workplace never seems to change.

Hopefully this doesn’t describe you or your current employment situation. If it does, though, there is something you can do about it – as a matter of fact, you’re the only one who can do something about it. Moving to another practice or starting a practice of your own is a serious decision that involves planning, strategy, and forethought, but the benefits of such a decision, as one might expect, can be life-changing.
If you’re thinking it might be time for a new job, consider these four warning signs and see how many apply to you:

1. You’re Always in a Bad Mood: While work may not be the most exciting highlight of your week, a day at the office should not leave you feeling disgruntled, defeated, or depressed. Having a negative emotional connection with your workplace can spill over into other areas of your personal life if you’re not careful, so it’s important to pay attention to how you’re feeling as you walk out of the office every evening.
2. You Do What You Do Out of Obligation: If you feel like your job is what you “ought to be doing” instead of what you “want to be doing,” you’re probably not going to enjoy going to work every day. Being in a practice environment that motivates you is the key to finding long-term career satisfaction.
3. You Don’t Feel Challenged: Too much stress at work, as most of us know, can be a bad thing. Too little stress can be just as bad, if not worse. If you feel like you’re not being challenged daily or that you’re capable of more, it might be time to start looking elsewhere.
4. Your Co-Workers Are Driving You Up a Wall: The people we work with play a larger role in our lives then we can imagine – after all, it’s likely you spend more time with them during the week than anyone else. If you’ve tried to resolve issues with your dental team but still find yourself counting down the minutes until you can get away from them, consider looking for career opportunities elsewhere.

While most of the above issues can be addressed through alternative means, in some cases getting a new job could be the best option. The most challenging part of any job change, of course, is in the details.

Whether you’re looking to take on more responsibility, start your own practice, or relocate to an area that better suits your needs, ETS Dental is happy to help make that transition as smooth as possible. Feel free to give us a call and get started today!

ETS Dental is a Dental Recruiting firm specializing in finding and placing General Dentists, Dental Specialists, and Dental Staff throughout the United States. www.etsdental.com

Finding an Associate Dentist Job - It’s not Just What You Do, It is How You Do It

Dentistry is a highly technical field requiring extensive training to hone clinical techniques and skills, yet it is often not these technical skills that determine who get the best jobs after dental school. Generally, the “soft skills” are what will make or break your chances of landing an ideal associate position. To separate yourself from other associate candidates, it is important to recognize what these skills are and why they matter.

What are “Soft Skills?” Soft skills, or people skills, are what inspire trust from patients. They make someone an effective communicator and a productive part of a team. There are many soft skills needed to be an effective dentist, but here are the leading soft skills requested by the practice owners for whom we consult.

Communication skills

Patients will take it for granted that the “Dr.” in front of your name means that you are qualified to drill a tooth or seat a crown. They do not become long-term patients because your margins are perfect. They come back to you because you are a pleasant person who understands your patient’s apprehension and takes the time to answer his or her questions. When interviewing a potential associate, a practice owner will look for these characteristics to determine the quality of your communication skills:

• Clear articulation: Can you convey ideas so that others easily understand?
• Expressiveness: Do you use voice inflection and descriptive language to avoid sounding “dry?"
• Empathy: Do you inspire trust by accurately reading the emotions of others and respond appropriately?
• Confidence: Do you exude self-assurance in your abilities?

 

Attitude and Outlook

Practice owners need their associates to be an asset to their practice. Most genuinely want the associate arrangement to be a “win-win” arrangement where everyone profits. Hiring a clinically exceptional but emotionally-taxing associate will not be sustainably beneficial to the practice. To avoid this, practice owners will look for the following:

• Positive Attitude: Are you generally optimistic or are you overly critical? Will it be fun to work with you?
• Willingness to learn: Are you accepting of feedback and helpful criticism or do you become defensive?
• Flexibility: Can you adapt to changing circumstances and new challenges?
• Work ethic: Will you exceed the minimum expectations? Will you go above and beyond for your patients when necessary?
• Motivation: Will you continuously strive for improvement? Do you set challenging personal and professional goals? Will you be satisfied if you fail to achieve those goals?

Professionalism

Even the freshest new dental school graduate is a doctor and so has earned the respect of the dental practice staff and the larger community. With this respect comes the demand of maintaining a professional demeanor. Beyond that, you are a highly compensated professional with a public profile. You are a pillar of the community who will be a leader in the office. Can a practice owner trust you to maintain this esteem? Here is what he or she will look for:

• Time Management: Can you be trusted to be ready to see patients as soon as the practice opens?
• Team Player: Will you be cooperative and respectful when working toward greater group goals?
• Leadership: Will you lead the office staff by example? Will you avoid petty squabbles? Will you have the courage to address problems and work towards solutions?
• Problem Solving: Will you apply your training in a creative manner to drive innovation and improvement?
• Work under pressure: Can you be trusted to maintain decorum under deadlines and through difficulties?

The more of these skills you display, the more comfortable a practice owner will be in choosing you for his or her practice. Remember - it is not what a practice can do for you, it is what you can do for a practice.
 

Posted by Morgan Pace, Vice President and Senior Dentist Recruitment Consultant with ETS Dental. To find out more, call Morgan at (540) 491-9102 or email at mpace@etsdental.com.